News & Comment
Blogs and Opinion
Can we restore U.S. leadership in solar manufacturing? by Climate Progress, climateprogress.org | March 8, 2010
The United States created the solar cell industry and literally launched it into space 50 years ago. Solar PV is going to be one of the largest job-creating industries of the century, projected to grow “from a $20 billion industry in 2007 to $74 billion by 2017” (see “Invented here, sold there”). read more »Why are We Afraid to Create the Jobs We Need? by Les Leopold, blogs.alternet.org | March 5, 2010
It’s not rocket science to create decent and useful jobs, (although it does go beyond the current cranial capacity of the U.S. Senate). It’s obvious that we desperately need to repair our infrastructure, increase our energy efficiency, generate more renewable energy, and invest in educating our young. We need millions of new workers to do all this work–right now. Our government has all the money and power (and yes, borrowing capacity) it needs to hire these workers directly or fund contractors and state governments to hire them. Either way, workers would get the jobs, and we would get safer bridges and roads, a greener environment, better schools, and a brighter future all around. So what are we waiting for? read more »Confronting Zombie Economist Tautologies by Natasha Chart, OurFuture.org | March 5, 2010
While "zombie economists" keep repeating free trade, free trade, free trade, the US is losing ground in the clean energy market to countries like Germany, which created its own market before it was cost efficient, AFL-CIO deputy chief of staff, Thea Lee, said yesterday at a Center for American Progress panel on clean energy development. "Just because it's not cost efficient today doesn't it won't be 5, 10, 20 years from now," she said. read more »NUMMI Closing Highlights Need for U.S. Manufacturing Policy by Tula Connell, OurFuture.org | March 5, 2010
Closing the New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. automotive plant in California will eliminate 25,000 jobs in the state and cost taxpayers $2.3 billion to replace the jobs lost, according to a March 3 report by University of California professor Harley Shaiken. read more »California Factory Closing - HUGE Impact - Steps You Can Take by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 4, 2010
Toyota is planning on closing the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. NUMMI auto-manufacturing plant in Fremont, CA on March 31. The immediate effect is a loss of 5,000 jobs. But, as with any factory closing, the effects ripple out well beyond the immediately obvious. read more »Manufacturing Recovery Myth Response by Hale Stewart, OurFuture.org | March 4, 2010
In response to my article "No, Virginia, Manufacturing Isn't Dead" Mr. Scott has published as article titled "The Myth of the Manufacturing Recovery." Regrettably, his rebuttal is deeply flawed both in tone and substance. read more »Friedman on Competitiveness: Identifies Problem, Offers Exactly Wrong Solution by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 3, 2010
Americans who travel out of the country will tell you about how the US is so visibly falling further and further behind the rest of the world. This hurts our ability to compete economically. The cause of the problem was tax cuts. The solution is certainly not more tax cuts. read more »Just Go Away, Already! by Natasha Chart, OurFuture.org | March 3, 2010
So this Media Matters piece about the ACORN video hoax has conservative turd-stirrer Andrew Breitbart describing ACORN rally attendees as "common street thugs, the dregs of society." After writing yesterday about the screw the peasants mentality that governs this country, a featured read more »Whirlpool Tells Callers: Call Congress. They're Right! by Dave Johnson, OurFuture.org | March 2, 2010
In the middle of this terrible jobs crisis Whirlpool is closing a factory in the US and sending the jobs to Mexico. Their Mexican workers will be paid $70 a week. read more »Clean Energy Here -- Not So Clean Hands Over There by Leo Hindrey, Huffington Post | March 2, 2010
This Thursday, March 4, I am addressing the Apollo Alliance on Clean Energy and Good Jobs on the subject of "How to Make the U.S. a Leader in the Clean Energy Economy", a topic made urgent in the midst of the ongoing Great Recession by the promising reality that 'the deployment of just wind and solar power has the potential to support globally 20 million new jobs by 2030 and trillions of dollars in revenue.' read more »
The Latest
Stiglitz Says U.S. Faces `Anemic Recovery,' Needs More Stimulus, bloomberg.com | August 6, 2010
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz said the U.S. economy faces an “anemic recovery” and the government will need to enact another round of “better designed” stimulus measures. read more »
Employment Situation Summary, bls.gov | August 6, 2010
Small Business Bill Appears to Be Stuck in Senate, mcclatchydc.com | August 5, 2010
Pelosi Calls on House to Return Next Week to Move $26 Billion State Aid Package, thehill.com | August 5, 2010
Speaker Nancy Pelosi threw lawmakers’ summer plans into chaos Wednesday, announcing the House will interrupt its six-week recess and return to Washington next week to act on Medicaid and education funding for states. read more »
State Aid Bill to Bring House Back, Politico | August 5, 2010
Aid Package Aimed at Saving State Jobs Passes Key Hurdle in Senate, The Washington Post | August 5, 2010
Two Republicans crossed party lines to advance the $26 billion package, handing President Obama a victory in his campaign to bolster the shaky economy. With many governors struggling to close gaping budget deficits, administration officials feared a fresh round of state layoffs or tax increases could knock the nation's wobbly recovery off-course.
Senate Breaks Republican Filibuster on State Aid, Teachers’ Jobs, blog.aflcio.org | August 5, 2010
The Senate today voted 61-38, to end a Republican filibuster of aid to state and local governments that would save or create nearly a million jobs for teachers, public employees, police officers, firefighters and others. read more »
Foreclosed On—By the U.S. , The Wall Street Journal | August 4, 2010
James Currell is struggling to prevent his Minnesota home from being foreclosed. But his lender isn't a bank. It is the U.S. government.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is facing the prospect of foreclosing on a number of properties in the coming months, from homes to commercial buildings, a result of a souring mortgage portfolio it took over when it helped bail out Bear Stearns in 2008.
More Workers Face Pay Cuts, Not Furloughs, The New York Times | August 4, 2010
The furloughs that popped up during the recession are being replaced by a highly unusual tactic: actual cuts in pay. Local and state governments, as well as some companies, are squeezing their employees to work the same amount for less money in cost-saving measures that are often described as a last-ditch effort to avoid layoffs.
Businesses Split Over Tax Credits , The Wall Street Journal | August 4, 2010
In a letter to Senate leaders Monday, 22 firms including Bank of America Corp., General Electric Co. and Hewlett-Packard threw their support behind a recent proposal from Sen. Max Baucus (D., Mont.) that would end certain small tax breaks on overseas income, raising $11.5 billion over 10 years to pay for tax incentives the firms are eager to maintain, including the research tax credit.
